Why It's Important To Know Your Strengths And Weaknesses

By Kibet Tobias
Have you ever compared yourself to someone else? Do you feel that you are superior or inferior to them based on their weaknesses and strengths?
The truth is every one of us is unique. We all function differently based on our different personalities. This is why it is important to understand yourself and your capabilities.
Your strengths are the traits and abilities you use in your daily lives to complete your work, relate with others, and achieve your goals. They include your talents, knowledge, and skills.
However, your weaknesses are areas you need to improve on.
I read a book “What You’re Really Meant to Do: A Roadmap for Reaching Your Unique Potential” by author Robert Kaplan. According to him most people actually have no clue what their strengths and weaknesses are. He says that people should take ownership by assessing themselves for their own personal development.
How do you leverage your strengths and improve on your weaknesses? You first need to know them.
Knowing your personal strengths
In your next interview, you might be asked what your strengths are. In that case, the interviewer wants to know the areas which you can do well.  These are the things that come easily and naturally for you.
You can choose anything that perfectly represents and sells you to your prospective employer.
For example, a problem solver, open minded, flexible, organized, detail oriented, analytical or creative.
If you are a problem solver, for example, it shows you are able to think of quick solutions in a tense environment.
You don’t want to choose traits that you want to possess. Choose those which really reflect who you are. Once you know what your biggest strengths are, you can easily leverage them.
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Knowing your weaknesses
It is also good to know your weaknesses as well.  These could be the things holding you back from achieving your goals- professional or social skills that you have the power to improve on.
You could be impatient, arrogant, controlling, shy, intolerant, slow, strict, and many more.
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Why should I know my own strengths and weakness?

Helps you know  your identity
Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses helps you to know who you really are. It answers the question “Who am I?’
You get a better understanding of yourself and how you can do your job to the best of your abilities.
It gets you ahead in a lot of things in your career.
When you are looking for a job, you will be able to narrow down your options based on specific skills you posses
It also helps you grow  
When you know what you can excel at, you will be able to aim higher and achieve much more as you climb the career ladder.
Knowing your weaknesses gives you an insight into areas that need improvement.
You get to know the things that may be holding you back in your career.
You can then find ways to improve and develop yourself
In Conclusion,
Having known your weaknesses and personal strengths, you can now focus more on your strengths. Start seeking opportunities instead of problems. When you know something you are not good at, it becomes easy to improve on it. But remember anything worthwhile requires time and effort.
Tobias is a Communication Assistant at Career Point Kenya. Email tobias@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke